


A Midnight Promise

by Aphelyon



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hugh is still a fiend for opera, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Promises, Romantic Fluff, pre-existing hurt that is lol just a tiny bit, when art imitates life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 07:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19080622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aphelyon/pseuds/Aphelyon
Summary: Paul wakes up to find Hugh watching an opera late at night, and makes a promise to him.





	A Midnight Promise

**Author's Note:**

> **Unauthorized copying of this work, any and all of my works, inclusive of writing and all artwork imagery of my creations, to any and all other sites is not permitted.**
> 
> Un-Beta'd. Quick, rough, little ficlet from the Discord - just polished up a touch.

 

 

 It was well into the hours of the early morning when Paul awoke to the sound of Hugh trying to hold back sobs. He reaches out to touch his leg gently, asking him what’s wrong. He doesn’t see the ocular chip that rests on Hugh’s temple, and occupies his vision, as it’s on the other side of his head. Paul watches patiently as Hugh pauses it, taking it off at the sensation of Paul’s hand on him and perhaps the soft tone of his voice audible through the recording.

 “It’s so beautiful, Paul. So beautiful.” 

_  Ah, he’s been watching his operas again.  _

 Hugh often does this if he wakes up early, especially from nightmares. They’re soothing, and Hugh had told him that the music transports him to a place where he can forget about the dreams that haunt him. It also gives him some time to himself where he can cross a few more off his now seemingly endless list of operas to catch up on - 1000 years worth. In a way, it was Hugh’s way of catching up with the history and culture that they have skipped entirely. He sees what became of the world through the eyes of artists. He always did have a flair for the artistic. His deep and passionate soul always seemed to have resonated with artists who bore their soul to the world. Paintings, dancers, music, operas, writers.... you name it. 

 Paul loves that about Hugh. He loves that sees the world in a way that he does not, and Hugh acts as his eyes in this, showing all of this to him through a new perspective. He loves that. 

 Paul had become accustomed to waking up in the middle of the night and Hugh being awake. At first it was at the feeling of the bed shifting under the release of Hughs weight, and then the emptiness of the space beside him that would rouse him. He would watch through bleary eyes as Hugh made his way through the dim - nearly black - cabin and went to sit on the couch. Always the same position, curled up in the outstretched arm that let him gaze with ease out their port-window, deep in thought. Sometimes he would simply sit there and watch as the stars raced by, other times he would use the ocular-reality-chip to watch opera recordings.

 He didn’t say anything at first, not for a while, after a time he simply beckoned him back to bed when he could catch his attention. He wanted him close, he suspected Hugh might need it too. Hugh had told him he didn’t want to disturb him, and Paul reassured him that he wasn’t bothered if Hugh wanted to do that while resting in bed. 

 “What was this one about?” He asks as he reaches up to wipe the tears from Hugh’s streaked cheeks. He marvels at how he can feel so fully, connect so deeply.

 It takes a moment before Hugh responds and he lays back down beside Paul resting his head on Pauls chest as Paul wraps his arms around his broad shoulders and places a single kiss on the top of Hughs head. 

 “It was about us.” he answers quietly.

 “Us?”

 “Yes, well, it may as well have been.” Hugh gives a short laugh, a little brittle from his recent pain. “He lost his lover to the war, taken in an act of brutality by a spy. He can still see her in his dreams. It follows his descent into madness and grief, and he strikes up a deal with witches to bring her back, but at a cost. When she was brought back... she didn’t know him. She didn’t know herself or anyone or anything about her life. She had to find herself again amongst everything, while everyone was trying to tell her who and what she was. But, she wasn’t that anymore. He finally came to be at peace with this, and let her go and they nearly sailed off to different lands but in the end they both jumped off their ships, into the ocean and swam towards each other. They decided that their love was stronger than that. The final scene, which you rudely interrupted -“ Hugh’s chastises in jest, prodding at Paul’s side. He squirms, softly laughing. “ - was them sitting on the beach, proclaiming their love and their promises to know each other anew, without the pressure of who they had once known each other to be.”

 They lay together quietly both in contemplation, and just in the comfort of each other’s presence. Paul unwraps his arms from around Hugh, and moved to tip Hughs chin up towards to him. 

 “I promise to know you anew, Hugh.” He whispers against his lips, gently kissing him. 

 He can feel Hugh smiling as they kiss, and a stray tear fell over Paul’s thumb as he stroked it along Hugh’s jawline. 

 “Hmm... you’re not even going to sing your promise to me?”

 “And risk you jumping back into the ocean to swim away? I wouldn’t chance it.”

 It was entirely untrue, and impossible and they both knew it. Hugh loves it when Pauls sings. But they laugh, and curl tighter into each other - resting together quietly in the early hours before they had to get ready for the day ahead. The only singing that Paul did for Hugh was the soft snores that sounded up again, and Hugh wasn’t far behind joining in the duet.

 

 

 

  
//end

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! As always I love your thoughts and feedback, it's tremendously appreciated.
> 
> You can also come find me over at Aphelyons.tumblr.com - I post drawings of Culmets stuff I do there too.


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